Ties that bind
by freestyler901
Summary: Manga divergence after Danzo's death- Itachi didn't die. Both brothers are back in Konoha but for different reasons. One wanted his brother to walk on the path of light while the other only desired revenge. They would have to deal with the politics of Konoha and a civilian sister.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer for ALL chapters:** I do not own Naruto because if I did, I wouldn't be writing this.

**Author's notes: **This story focuses primarily on Itachi and Sasuke. Other important characters such as Tsunade and Kakashi would appear in the later chapters.

This story had been beta'ed by chronicxxinsanity.

* * *

Inhale.

"_We have gathered here today to celebrate our victory…" _

Exhale.

"_And commemorate the sacrifice of our fellow comrades who have died in the war." _

Inhale.

"_Grief is not the end of all." _

Exhale.

_"Our dead brothers and sisters still live within our hearts, our memories…"_

Inhale.

_"Let us think of life – not death."_

Exhale.

"_Let us strive towards the future with the same zest, hope and will!" _

Inhale.

"_To the victory of the Allied Shinobi Forces!"_

Exhale.

"_To our future!"_

Cheers erupted through the radio but died off instantly as Sasuke forcefully turned the control knobs, suppressing the violent urge to smash it against the floor.

The room was silent except for the occasional sizzling static emitted from the radio but the victory speech replayed in his mind over and over again like a broken record. It felt surreal to listen to the cheers and laughter of others while he and Itachi were at the other side of the continent living in seclusion, with the latter barely hanging on.

Once again, he was alone while everyone lived happily in ignorance of his pain or his brother's silent suffering. It wasn't fair that their peace was attained through the sacrifice of Itachi who had given all that he could possibly give for that damn village.

His _– their – _clan.

His _– their – _future.

Hell, even at the very moment, the only reason his brother was hanging on for his life was for Konoha. He could still remember the worry etched on Itachi's face despite the woeful state he was in.

Sasuke shoved the radio across the table, clenching his fist after that as he tried to suppress his anger and hatred.

The war between Uchiha Madara and the Allied Shinobi Forces had ended but for Sasuke, it had yet to begin. Everyone in Konoha would have to pay for the atrocities and injustices that were inflicted on the Uchiha clan, especially onto his brother Itachi.

_That Danzo. _What a bastard he was. Not only did he order Itachi to carry out the massacre, he forced him to drink poison to spare his own life. It was a drug that kills its host over a long period, causing Itachi to endure years of excruciating pain.

If only he had known this beforehand, he would not had killed Danzo that easily (at least not until he forced an antidote out of him). Neither would he had given him the honour of dying on the battlefield which a vermin like Danzo clearly did not deserve. Furthermore, Danzo's instantaneous death was a gross injustice to his brother as the latter was still struggling in agony for his life.

He should had tortured Danzo. Dug his eyes out like he had done to Shishui and inject the very same poison that was currently flowing through Itachi's bloodstream.

"Uh-hem." The sound of Nekobaa clearing her throat pulled Sasuke out of his deep thoughts as he turned to look at the source of intrusion.

Both he and Itachi were now at the abandoned city of Sora-ku. When Sasuke had found out that Itachi was still alive, Sora-ku was the only place, in his opinion, that was safe for his brother. In the fight against Madara, shinobi from various villages were spread across the nations. Now that the war had ended, most shinobi had returned to their respective homes. However, according to Nekobaa, there were rumours that each village had stepped up their efforts in hunting down missing-nins and both Itachi and Sasuke were at the top of their lists.

"I have already prepared all the things that you would need for this trip." Nekobaa sighed before continuing. "Are you sure you want to look for the girl? You'll only bring her harm and -"

"I will not let Oniisan die. If the girl is the key to saving Itachi's life, I'll go to the ends of the world and dig her out. Besides, Oniisan slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan to protect me. It does not make much of a difference to sacrifice one more to save him". Sasuke cut her off fiercely as he glared at Nekobaa with his cold and emotionless eyes. He could feel the anger that was coursing through his veins, rising as the seconds ticked by, along with a matching flare of his chakra.

How dare she imply that he should sit and do nothing while Itachi tossed and turned in agony every night. It hurt him even more to see his brother pretending that the pain was _tolerable_.

Now that his brother was back by his side, Sasuke would do anything to keep him alive.

_And if Oniisan dies, I'll bury the whole of Konoha along with him. _

With that, Sasuke took his bag of supplies from Nekobaa and set off on a journey alone.

.

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**Notes to this chapter:**

1. Nekobaa: She's the cat lady that lives in an abandoned city which used to supply the Uchiha clan their weapons. She's also the one who hired Team 7 to finish the collection of paw prints.

2. Itachi and Sasuke are 21 and 16 respectively as at this chapter.

3. Oniisan/Niisan means elder brother.

**Review please and thank you :) **


	2. Chapter 2

He was supposed to die.

Itachi sighed as he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The years of meticulous planning had been for naught. It did not end the way he had intended and now, he was too ill to do anything.

Now that Sasuke knew the truth, everything had become extremely complicated. He can't simply die because if he did, he knew Sasuke would destroy Konoha immediately. He had to live on, not just for Konoha but more importantly, for his brother. He can't allow his brother walk down the path of self-destruction that was partially created by his own hands.

He was the one who severed all of Sasuke's familial bonds, fed him hatred, anger and power.

What was once an innocent child was now a creature of darkness, morphed by his very own hands.

Nevertheless, Itachi still loved and wished the best for his brother, just like how he had wanted Sasuke to live in a world of peace and be proud of the Uchiha clan. He was willing to go to great lengths just so that Sasuke could enjoy these indulgences that he was deprived of.

Contrary to popular belief, Itachi wasn't born a genius. He made himself into one the day Sasuke was born. He had to excel so that he would know the standard of perfection and then provide the best for his brother. If flaws exist, Itachi would correct them and if he failed, he would conceal them.

The Uchiha planned a coup d'état. That was a flaw. Itachi had seen countless deaths and bloodshed to know what a world without peace would be like. It would only bring meaningless suffering, tarnishing the perfect world that Itachi had painstakingly been building for his brother.

So he _corrected _and _concealed _this flaw. In slaughtering his entire clan, no one would know about the coup d'état. The image of the Uchiha would be untarnished in Sasuke's world. In portraying himself as a blood lusty villain who only craved for power, he was setting a bad example for Sasuke to detest and oppose.

The deeper his sins, the better Sasuke would be as a person.

By dying at his brother's hands, Sasuke would gain the respect of Konoha for taking down a missing-nin.

That was the future that Itachi had envisioned and crafted for his beloved brother.

Ironically, his schemes of protecting Sasuke backfired and he had failed miserably.

The door creaked open, causing Itachi to break his train of thoughts momentarily and turn towards the source of intrusion. It was Nekobaa.

"Here's your meal." Nekobaa placed a tray containing a bowl of porridge and a glass of water onto his bed side table.

"Where's Sasuke?" Itachi asked as he sat up in worry. Sasuke had always been the one to bring his meals. Had he left to launch an attack on Konoha?

"Relax, Sasuke is not here right now but he's not heading for Konoha." Nekobaa replied, reading his thoughts with deadly accuracy. "You should worry about yourself instead of others."

Itachi frowned. Where could Sasuke be?

Reading his thoughts for the second time, Nekobaa promptly replied, "This may be a shock to you but Sasuke went to search for your sister."

It took Itachi a few seconds to absorb Nekobaa's words. He stared at her in confusion. His sister? Since when did he have a sister? He may have _had _one years ago before his mother miscarried.

Nekobaa pulled a chair next to the bed and nestled herself in a comfortable position before continuing with her explanation.

"Your mother, unlike what you've been told by your father, did not have a miscarriage. She had a girl but she was born blind. I'm sure you know what most shinobis would do under such circumstances."

For a child to be born with disabilities, his or her fate as a shinobi would have been sealed. Most parents would move out of the village and settle elsewhere in the country for their childrens' future. Konoha, being a ninja village, only had the Academy. There were no other schools to cater to children who had no intention of pursuing a ninja career, let alone schools catering to those with special needs.

"Being the clan leader, it was inconceivable for your father to uproot the entire family and live outside the village. Your mother could have moved out while the rest of you remained behind but being Uchihas, both of them would be vulnerable to your clan's long list of enemies. Besides, Sasuke was still a child and Fugaku was constantly overloaded with work while you had just been accepted into ANBU. It was impossible for either of you to look after him."

Just as Nekobaa finished her explanation, a cat came into the room and jumped onto her lap. Nekobaa kindly patted the cat, evoking a soft meow before continuing her story.

"Your parents gave her to me. I was supposed to send her to some faraway place for adoption. The girl's pretty lucky…minutes after they left, a couple came into my store with their daughter, who was also adopted. You can tell by their different hair colours. The couple saw the new-born and offered to adopt her."

"Seeing how their adopted child is healthy and happy, I was confident that they would love and treat your sister as if she were their own daughter. More importantly…" Nekobaa paused for dramatic effect and also to catch her breath.

"The mother was a student of the legendary medical-nin, Shiba Toru."

"Shiba Toru?" Itachi repeated the name. He had heard of the name before. In fact, everyone in all countries did. Shiba Toru was famous for healing everyone, both the rich and poor without any discrimination. He had no allegiance to any country or village, simply a lone healer who travelled to different parts of the world, healing as he went and in his latter years, lived in seclusion. Rumour has it that he accepted several students whom in gratitude, followed his path of travelling and healing under multiple fake aliases so that only the name Shiba Toru would be remembered.

Nekobaa nodded. "So you see how lucky your sister is! She would definitely be safe with that lady. Not having any allegiance with any countries would mean that she has no ties with the Shinobi world. And if the couple ever planned to settle down, it would be at a secluded location."

"The family left and I never heard from them again until two years later. She had sent a letter, informing me that the girl had gained her eyesight. I never managed to relay this message to your parents. You'll know the reason if you work out the time frame."

It was the year he annihilated his clan.

"I've kept the letter with me ever since, but Sasuke found it when he flipped through the old Uchiha albums."

Itachi stared at Nekobaa in shock. He needed time to absorb the news that she had been supplying for the past few minutes. Horror washed over him as he realised what Sasuke was about to do.

"Sasuke can't drag her into this mess." They were missing-nin. Sasuke visiting the girl and her family would endanger their lives. Sister or not, Itachi did not want to sacrifice innocents.

Nekobaa sighed, "You should know by now that your life is more precious to him than anything else, especially that of a girl who he had never met before. Let's just hope that the mother is willing to travel here to heal you…if not…"

"Sasuke would use her as a hostage." Itachi grasped out. He knew his brother's train of thoughts at the back of his hands.

Nekobaa nodded gravely before standing up and moving towards the door. "Anyway, you shouldn't worry so much. You can't do anything in this condition. Might as well take a rest. Good night."

Itachi was once again left in the suffocating silence of the room.

So he had, _has _another younger sibling, a sister. Granted that he had never met her before, she would still biologically be his sister, sharing the same Uchiha blood coursing through their veins. It was a fact that he could not deny even if he wanted to.

What good could there be for the girl to be associated with them? If others were to know of her existence – the existence of another Uchiha – she would be hunted like an animal. And how old was she? Ten? An age too young to be involved with their bloody histories.

Innocence, once lost, can never be regained.

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	3. Chapter 3

Sasuke had finally arrived at his intended location after travelling by sea for a day. It was an island that lies between Fire Country and Nagi Island, so well secluded that it was not even drawn on the world map. Almost no one knew of its existence except those living along the river banks.

The island was small, too puny to be of any significance or threat to any country. Furthermore, he has yet to see the presence of any ninja. Neither was the island rich in minerals or produce because if it did, people would have known of its existence through multilateral trade.

Music played constantly as he walked down the marketplace. Sasuke presumed that this village probably flourished in the arts. He felt as though he had stepped into another world – he was the only one who dressed differently, sticking out like a sore thumb with a sword behind his back. Furthermore, he did not have an accent native to all of the locals.

From the directions given by the locals, the girl and her family lived on a remote hill, situated away from the hustle and bustle of the marketplace located at the island's centre.

Sasuke took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

Why was he anxious?

Granted that it was his sister that lived in this house, he had never met her before, did not even know of her existence until two days ago so she was no different from the countless girls he had met before.

Like Karin, this girl would be disposable.

He would gladly sacrifice her life in exchange for Itachi's if her mother refused his request.

Now that Itachi was by his side again, he would not let his Oniisan die.

No one answered the door so Sasuke knocked on it again. It was on his 7th attempt that the door sprang opened.

Sasuke had hoped for the mother to answer the door, but out tumbled a child (the girl he supposed) that was slightly shorter than his midriff, wrapped up and hidden in a blanket pulled over her head.

"Why do you always come so early?" The girl mumbled with a yawn as she rubbed her eyes. Sleepiness was evident in her tone even though it was already noon.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew past them, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. Before Sasuke could utter a word, the girl sprung around to face the door, dropping her blanket in the process.

The girl had clearly just woken up by his knocks. Her shoulder length hair was messily held up by two braids. What caught Sasuke's attention was her outfit. She was dressed in a black leotard with a pair of white tights and beige ballet shoes.

So the girl was a dancer.

It was indeed a well thought out plan to prevent her from connecting with the shinobi world.

As a dancer, she would grow up to perform for wealthy daimyos who would stage performances for their guests as a symbol of their wealth. She would be housed in the very same compound as them and if she's lucky, marry their employer or someone within their social circle.

Due to their wealth, daimyo considered themselves to be nobles and avoided associations with shinobis unless necessary. Even if they do hire shinobis to do their dirty work, it would be behind the scenes. If their plans were exposed, these so called nobles would typically hire another group of shinobi to eliminate the first group.

The thought of the girl working for such scums disgusted him. Since young, Sasuke had always hated how daimyo would blatantly disregard the lives of those who had worked for them…just like what Konoha had done to Itachi.

Sasuke watched in silence as the girl pulled at the door handles before pounding her fists on the door. He realised that she had been locked out. The door was one of those types that shuts automatically.

"OI! Yuko, open the door! It's your boyfriend!" The girl had clearly mistaken him for someone else.

"Yuko, open the door!" She screamed again after receiving no reply.

"OI, Oneesan!" With this last attempt, the girl sprung around to face Sasuke.

"Why do you always visit when she is still sleep-" The girl's voice trailed off as she stared into Sasuke's eyes.

There was no mistake that the girl standing before him was his sister, not when he was staring into a pair of eyes that mirrored his own Sharingan.

.

* * *

.

Ichikawa Kiko.

That was the name of the girl sitting in front of him, all wrapped in a blanket with her legs sticking out.

Both of them were now on a face to face swing located at the back of the house but neither of them was pushing it.

At first glance, the girl resembled neither of _his_ parents.

Her alabaster skin was a striking contrast to her jet-black hair. Everyone in the family was fair but none were as pale as her. Then again, they had been training and travelling under the sun for years so had developed a bit of a tan. The girl had the look of a porcelain doll with her well-proportionate features and flushed cheeks (though Sasuke wasn't sure it was natural or because of the chilly weather) were it not for her messy hair and bony legs.

In short, the girl resembled more of a ghost than an Uchiha.

None of his family members would look as _weak _as her.

However, on a closer look, Sasuke could see his mother's large eyes and his father's high nose.

"So you came all the way here to stare at my face?" Kiko scowled, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts.

He knew that she knew they were related by blood. After all, both of them had the Sharingan.

Sasuke wondered how developed hers was. It could be a potential replacement for Itachi's failing eyesight.

"What do you want from me?" Kiko was clearly annoyed with the lack of response from Sasuke.

"My heart? Liver? Kidneys? " Sasuke maintained his silence as he watched the girl ranting.

"What? You're here because the whole family is dead and I'm probably the last blood relative to supply-"

Her tirade was cut off when Sasuke grasped her throat and slammed her against the seat, knocking the air out of her lungs.

Sasuke was infuriated at how _casually_ she mentioned about the clan's annihilation.

For the next minute, nothing could be heard except Sasuke's deep, quivering breaths and Kiko's wheezes. When Sasuke finally let go of her throat, the girl slumped against her seat, coughing as she recovered her breath. There was no apology given as Sasuke felt that the _brat _deserved it.

"Is your mother in?" Sasuke did not want to beat around the bush.

"No." Kiko choked out in panic.

"Where is your mother?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Sasuke raised his voice causing the girl to flinch.

Then it was Kiko's turn to snap. She threw off her blanket and stood up to glare at Sasuke. However, her quick movements had pushed the swing and she lost her balance momentarily, and would have toppled over if Sasuke had not grabbed her arms. Meanwhile, Sasuke stood firmly as he had held onto a pole when he had strangled her earlier.

"Where the hell is your mother?" Sasuke asked again but this time, he added pressure onto the girl's arms. Pain flashed across her face.

"I said I don't know! Since when do mothers report to their children what they're up to?" Kiko yelled.

Sasuke let go of her arm. What the girl said made sense. Sasuke pushed his fringe back in frustration.

It was a mistake letting go of the girl and the pole.

The girl immediately sat down, purposely giving the swing a hard push in the process. Sasuke flew forward a step or two and would have knocked into another pole had he not grabbed on it in time.

Sasuke glared at the girl who stared at him defiantly before rolling her eyes.

Having enough of her antics, Sasuke sat down.

"When will she be back?"

"Not sure." Kiko shrugged. "But if you're waiting for her, you might as well give up. She won't be back until six months later."

_Six months? Itachi can't wait for so long….._

"You're lying." Sasuke hissed out.

Kiko rolled her eyes, lifting her arms in frustration. "You can wait if you want but don't expect to go inside _my _house. Not even the front porch. You can wait here and knock yourself out with this swing."

Sasuke's eyes twitched in annoyance. The brat was a handful.

"Why would a mother leave her children alone for almost half a year?"

Kiko sighed, clearly exasperated with his endless number of questions. "Collect herbs, I suppose…I don't know."

"Why would she collect herbs for half a year?" Sasuke fired his question as soon as Kiko replied. If her mother had been a student of the legendary medical-nin Shiba Toru, why would she use herbs instead of jutsu?

"Do I look like a doctor to you?" Kiko pulled open her blanket and flashed her dance outfit at him.

"Like I said, my mother does not report to me. And no, I don't know where she is. All she does is 'Hey, I'll be leaving tomorrow.' And then disappears for months."

"You never ask where she's heading? Does your father know?"

"When someone avoids your questions all the time, you learn to stop asking. My father died long ago." Sadness was evident in her tone even though her face was emotionless.

The girl's last sentence sent a pang to his heart but Sasuke decided to push his feelings aside.

So what if this girl, _his sister_, was sad?

Her despair could not be compared to his. At least her mother and sister were still alive.

"I'll kill you if you're lying." Sasuke threatened.

"Sure, my mother would definitely help you after that." Kiko sarcastically retorted. "Besides, it's not like I can escape. I'm locked out and you can decapitate my head without moving an inch."

The swing was meant for children so Sasuke was rather cramped for space.

It was his fault for following her to this damn swing. He should have just sliced the front door. God knows why he followed her.

There were no benches so when the girl sat on the swing, he simply just went along with her.

Sasuke caught sight of the girl staring longingly at her house. Suddenly, he recalled Kiko calling out for her sister. What if her sister had had medical training? Surely her mother would have passed her skills onto the eldest child.

"Your sister…" Sasuke turned his head towards the house.

A tinge of fear flashed across Kiko's eyes but Sasuke was too fixated on the house to notice.

"You can kill her if you want. She's adopted too." Kiko replied in a cold and emotionless voice.

"Can she heal?" Sasuke turned his attention back to the girl.

"No, she can't heal if her life depended on it."

"Can y-"

"How many times do you want to see my dance outfit?" Kiko snapped.

Both of them sat in silence as Kiko stared at her feet while Sasuke wondered what he should do next.

"Who do you want to heal?" Kiko asked in a small voice.

"_My _oniisan."

"What is he suffering from?"

"Poison." Sasuke stood up and got off the swing. If the girl and her family were of no help, he had to get back as soon as possible.

Without bidding farewell, Sasuke walked off.

.

* * *

.

Sasuke watched as an eagle soared high in the sky as he waited for the boat to pull up alongside the dock.

He briefly wondered how Itachi had been faring.

Just as Sasuke was about to step into the boat, a shout rang out, causing everyone to turn their heads towards the source.

"Hey, wait up!"

It was the girl, Kiko. She had run all the way from her house to the dock.

When Kiko finally reached Sasuke, she latched onto his arms for support as she huffed and puffed. She looked ridiculous in her dance outfit and her hair was messier than before.

"Here, take it." Kiko took off her necklace and shoved it into his palm.

"Press here and it will open."

Inside the locket was a pill. With his Sharingan, Sasuke could clearly see the chakra inside it.

Kiko gulped, "If your brother is suffering from poison _only_, this pill can save him. It neutralises all poisons…that's what my mother said. I have never tried it before and I certainly hope not in future. That's the only one I have so don't lose it."

With that, Kiko closed the locket again before running back in the direction she came from.

Sasuke stared at her disappearing form as he clenched the locket tightly in his hands. The necklace was too short to be worn around his neck.

_Thank you._

"Hey, are you done? I'm pressed for time." The boat man shouted, snapping Sasuke out of his trance.

.

* * *

.

Somewhere on a hill, sat a girl on a swing.

Her cries were muffled by a blanket tightly wrapped around her body that could only shield her from the cold and harsh weather and not the fragility of the human heart.

.

* * *

**Notes to this chapter:**

1. Oneesan : Elder sister

2. Sasuke is 16 while Kiko is 10.

3. Kiko has the Sharingan and it will be activated 24/7 because I am lazy to write about DNA stuff and I do not want to write clichés where she looks like either of the parents. However, she will not be performing any ninja acts.

**Review please and thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Sasuke returned to Sora-ku, Itachi's condition had worsened. He was on the verge of entering a coma.

Sasuke fed him the pill and waited.

The first month was excruciating for both Sasuke and Itachi.

Itachi kept vomiting blood to the extent that Sasuke questioned whether the girl had played a prank on him with the pill. He had half his mind to return and strangle the girl again were it not for the fact that the journey would take a few days and Itachi needed his care.

The second month was the turning point.

The vomiting miraculously ceased. A few days later, Itachi was able to consume all his food. Two weeks later, Itachi had gained sufficient strength to leave his bed. He still tires several times throughout the day but his health was improving albeit slowly.

Throughout the whole period, neither of them mentioned about their sister. There was nothing much to talk about her anyway.

The second month came and went. Before both brothers knew, the third month had arrived.

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* * *

.

Even with the doors closed, Itachi could hear Sasuke and Naruto shouting at each other.

Tsunade had tracked them down. He was now sitting opposite Tsunade while Sasuke was in the main hall with Naruto.

Itachi watched Tsunade as she opened her mouth slightly before closing it again. Her shoulders were tense even though her facial expression was guarded, betraying no trace of emotions. She wanted to say something but didn't seem to know how.

"You have five minutes." Itachi spoke up, finally breaking the silence. That was the time limit set by Sasuke. Beyond that, he would charge into the room.

"We have evidence of Danzo's orders on your clan's assassination." Tsunade wasted no time in jumping straight to the point. "There were documents but I've ordered all of them to be destroyed."

Itachi observed Tsunade as he tried to figure out her intentions.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush. Today, I have come with a proposal. I would like you to return to Konoha…secretly of course. Most people assumed you to be dead and it's better to keep them believing so. You and I both know there's no way for you to return to Konoha openly without dishonouring your clan."

Tsunade took a deep breath before delivering her speech, "In return, I promise to protect Sasuke and integrate him back to society."

So _that _was her intention – to confine Sasuke within Konoha so that his movements could be tracked. Tsunade had assumed that if Itachi were to return to Konoha, Sasuke would follow along.

"What makes you think I can prevent Sasuke from destroying Konoha during our stay?"

"You carried out Danzo's orders for the sake of peace."

Itachi took a sip of his green tea. Having figured out her intentions, he felt assured enough to indulge in a drink that he poured before the start of their conversation.

"The peace was meant more for my brother than Konoha but now that he turned out to be this way, I don't see the point of him living as an in-house prisoner.", Itachi replied. He loved his village but not to the extent of sacrificing his brother's freedom.

Tsunade frowned. Itachi was too smart and too complex to negotiate with. He could clearly see through her intentions but on his part, there were no signs of interest in her proposal.

"In-house prisoner is a rather drastic negative term. Sasuke could wander anywhere he desires. This is more of an opportunity for Sasuke to return to his home…his friends."

"Naruto still has faith in your brother and is always defending him. As you know, he has become a war hero, especially here in Konoha so anything that he says or does carries weight. Given time, his supporters would accept Sasuke."

"It all depends on Sasuke's _behaviour._" This was an ambiguous statement. Tsunade had obliterated the consequences in the event that Sasuke decided to seek revenge.

"Sasuke is still young and has his entire life ahead of him. Rather than being pursued and hunted by all countries, why not live in the security and comfort of Konoha? And if he desires to take on missions in future, I could put him back on his old team."

"And how would you _protect and integrate Sasuke back into society?_" Itachi quoted Tsunade's promises earlier.

"I can clear all of Sasuke's records and give it a clean slate. I will personally vouch that Sasuke had deflected to Orochimaru and Akatsuki under my orders. During that period, he didn't commit any evils except killing Orochimaru. With my Hokage position and Naruto's _soft power, _this one good deed could overshadow his betrayal."

"As for the stunt Sasuke pulled at the Kages' summit, it is even easier to cover up. No village wants to acknowledge the fact that they let a single boy escape. It is an insult to each country's strength and unity of the Allied Shinobi forces as a whole. Secondly, Sasuke killed Danzo who everyone was suspicious of."

"There is no reason for all countries to continue their hunt for Sasuke, especially if he has the support of Konoha and Naruto. Everyone is in the midst of rebuilding. None is willing to wage a war over a _boy_…Besides, Naruto has a huge group of supporters. Going against him would lead to the possibility of civilian rebellion in their countries."

Itachi noted a tinge of unease and possibly fear whenever Tsunade brought up Naruto. He briefly wondered what Tsunade would have done if Naruto hadn't fought for Sasuke's return.

Anyway, the offer was attractive.

The possibility of Sasuke returning to Konoha, rebuild their clan and lead a normal life.

How could he deny such an opportunity?

All he needs to do was to make Sasuke abandon his quest for revenge. Now that he's alive, there is one less reason for Sasuke to destroy Konoha. He would have to live in secrecy but this was not a sacrifice since he was a wanted criminal. If he wants to survive, he has to be on the run for his entire life. He might as well as settle in Konoha.

Life will go well for Sasuke – As his elder brother, he would make sure of it. It was his responsibility.

So Itachi agreed.

With that, Tsunade stood up to leave. "I'll make the necessary arrangements. Food and daily necessities would be delivered to your doorstep. As for lodging, I can arrange for another location if you feel uncomfortable returning to the Uchiha compound."

"No, we'll take our old house." Itachi answered harshly. For Sasuke to revive their clan, he had to return to the Uchiha compound.

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* * *

.

It felt surreal cleaning his old room, as though it was just another ordinary day prior to the massacre.

They were living under the same roof again after so many years yet Itachi never felt so distant from his younger brother.

They had quarrelled over his decision to return to Konoha. Sasuke refused, saying that if he were to return to the _damned village, _it would be on his terms and not Tsunade's.

However, Itachi knew Sasuke would follow him. He packed his bags, left Sora-ku and just like what he predicted, Sasuke chased after him like a lost puppy.

But both of them were currently in the midst of a cold war. No one knew who started it. It just happened.

May be they just didn't know how to approach each other.

The flames of revenge hadn't died within Sasuke. They had intensified the minute he stepped into their old house. Itachi could see it in his eyes, red as burning embers of hate and anger.

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* * *

.

_I will shoulder your hatred and die with you! Because I'm your friend! _

_Sasuke, I know there's more to you than just your clan. I know there's more than hatred. _

How naïve everyone was to believe that he could just put aside his hatred and anger and survive on a diet of hope and peace.

How would anyone know what it was like to have everything and lose it all?

That laughter…he could hear everyone laughing, smiling, _mocking_ while his entire clan lay six feet underground.

_We won't be Uchiha, Jinchuurikis, or anything…We'll come to understand one another in the next world!_

What was there to understand? He had his pain and Naruto had his. He didn't need nor want to comprehend another person's share.

Sasuke didn't care. It did not matter whether Naruto's sufferings were worse than his or that he had got over it.

The fact remained that his elder brother was manipulated to kill his entire clan for the sake of _peace. _It was simply a convenient way for the village's elders to hide their desires to get rid of his clan.

The empty Uchiha compound was evidence of all these.

No one ever wandered into their compound. Neither did Sasuke roam about Konoha. The day he stepped out of the clan's grounds would be the day he wiped out the village.

Tsunade had made an agreement with Itachi but Itachi kept his mouth shut about the terms.

Itachi never told him anything, with or without the silent treatment that was currently engulfing both of them.

His elder brother was always a puzzle that he never seemed to comprehend. How could Itachi live in the same compound where he murdered everyone and _not do anything_?

Then, Sasuke decided that it didn't matter. He had waited for years to quench his bloody thirst for revenge. Nothing changed except his targets of hatred.

Sasuke could wait another eternity for his brother. One day, Itachi would see the filth through his eyes.

Together, they would purge the contamination and reduce Konoha to ashes.

.

* * *

.

Sasuke turned his head to the back porch.

"Suigetsu." Sasuke had felt his chakra as the liquefied man made his way through the compound. "You could have come in from the front."

"Nuh-uh…this is the shortest way." Suigetsu jumped from the wall enclosing the house onto the ground.

"Well, I came here as soon as I read your message." Sasuke had been leaving clues to Suigetsu and Juugo regarding his locations. Karin had none since she was already captured by his former teammates.

Sasuke hadn't planned to rescue her. She had served her purpose.

"Where's Juugo?"

"Not sure." Suigetsu replied, shrugging. "We got separated at the Kage Summit."

That happened months ago. Finding Juugo would be akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. Assuming that he's alive, how could they possibly know which country kept him? Sasuke wondered whether Suigetsu knew about what happened to Karin.

"What a nice house you have here." Suigetsu walked around the kitchen, taking everything into view, occasionally touching some decorations.

"Don't break anything."

"Hmmm…." Suigetsu turned to face Sasuke. "So not planning to destroy Konoha anymore?"

Sasuke clenched his fist as he glared at Suigetsu. "It's not over until I say so."

"Well-" Suigetsu never got to finish his sentence as he grabbed the handle of his sword.

Someone was heading their way. They could hear the pitter-patter of footsteps and the soft opening of doors.

"I'll start the ball rolling." Suigetsu swung his sword in a wide arc just as the doors to the kitchen opened.

_That chakra. _Sasuke had felt it somewhere before. Then, the familiarity hit him.

Kiko.

Sasuke immediately took out his sword to counter that of Suigetsu's. However, the momentum of Suigetsu's swung had caused the girl to fly through the air and smashed onto the wall. Sasuke had barely been able to stop the blade from decapitating her head.

Suigetsu stared at Sasuke, then at the girl in confusion as he lowered his sword.

"A child?"

Sasuke turned to glare at Kiko who had sunk to the floor in a daze.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sasuke yelled.

.

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* * *

**RnR! **

**23/7/2012:** The next update will take some time because I will be reediting the previous chapters, hunt for a beta, plot and write more. In addition, I have school commitments. Thank you for your kind understanding.


	5. Chapter 5

**Announcements: **I have changed some parts of the previous chapters and this chapter has been beta'ed by chronicxxinsanity.

* * *

Previously…

_Sasuke turned to glare at Kiko who had sunk to the floor in a daze. _

"_What the hell are you doing here?" Sasuke yelled. _

_._

_._

Kiko was too shocked to reply. Her mouth agape as she stared at Sasuke and Suigetsu before reaching out to touch her neck where the sword had almost sliced.

"Sasuke, who's she?" Suigetsu asked as he eased the grasp of his sword in confusion and disappointment. He had expected a genin and was rather desperate to chop off some limbs, be it an adult or child. After all, he had been lying low ever since he stepped into the Land of Fire to avoid the detection of Konoha shinobi who were virtually scattered everywhere in their efforts to rebuild the country.

Suigetsu looked at his twitching fingers on the handle of the sword. Oh, what would he give to feel the warm, metallic flow of blood through his fingers!

Suigetsu sighed as he stared at the girl with a bored expression before turning to look at Sasuke. He then did a double take when he noticed a striking similarity and blurted out without thinking.

"Hey, her eyes… are like yours!"

Sasuke remained silent and unmoving but his calm demeanour was betrayed by his tightly clenched jaws and tense shoulders. His composure had morphed into pure rage the minute he heard those words from Suigetsu's mouth.

_That Sharingan. _A thousand thoughts ran through his mind as he sent the girl an intense glare. Sasuke immediately closed his eyes and exhaled, struggling to stem the flow of his thoughts.

But all it took was another look at Kiko to lose control of all the emotions that he had been caging within.

Kiko didn't deserve the pair of eyes. She had done nothing to attain them. Where was her sacrifice?

Everyone had to suffer to attain their Sharingan but she was different. She had her family and was able to sleep till noon while he was alone, separated from all his loved ones. Ever since the massacre occurred, there were hardly any nights where his mind was not plagued with nightmares.

Why was she spared from all the sufferings that he and his brother endured?

Why should Kiko and the citizens of Konoha live in peace at the expense of his clan?

_No, I would not suffer anymore. Neither would Itachi. _Sasuke clenched his fist as images of blood and screams flashed across his mind. What Konoha had done to them, he would return tenfold.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins – a sensation that he was rather familiar with. He could still distinctively remember the glee he had felt when he killed Danzo.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at Kiko. The sight of her made his stomach churned in disgust. She was the epitome of peace that both Konoha and Itachi had bloodily strived for.

It suddenly dawned on Sasuke that there was a pair of unutilised Sharingan which was a waste on her.

Sasuke wasn't sure how developed hers was but he decided that it didn't matter. With the continued usage of the Mangekyo Sharingan, Itachi would eventually lose his sight.

A spare pair of eyes would be useful. If hers were developed, it would be advantageous and if it wasn't, his brother would still need it anyway.

After all that Itachi had sacrificed, Sasuke reciprocated nothing in return. Thus, if it were a pair of eyes his brother needed, then a pair of eyes he would give. Sasuke would have offered his own Sharingan but there was a spare right in front of him.

If Itachi could slaughter the entire Uchiha clan for him, he could do the same for his elder brother. Besides, it was just one more Uchiha, a figure that paled in comparison to Itachi's record.

"Suigetsu, guard the door. Don't let Itachi come in."

"What are you planning to do?" Suigetsu asked in a puzzled tone.

"I said guard the door!" Sasuke shouted, his voice raising an octave higher. Itachi had disappeared early in the morning so he could be back any moment.

Sensing the urgency in his tone, Suigetsu gave Sasuke and the girl a last glance before promptly exiting the kitchen.

Without a word, Sasuke made his way to Kiko and roughly pulled her up from the floor.

Suddenly, her survival instincts kicked in. Kiko tried to shove Sasuke away but it was futile. Sasuke, who towered over her, dragged the screaming girl across the room as she tried to grab random things to hold onto.

The rice cooker was knocked off the shelf and the porcelain dishes fell to the floor, shattering into numerous pieces.

Failing to shove Sasuke, Kiko attempted to pull herself away but Sasuke had an iron grip on her arm. Sasuke then hurled her body over the dining table.

_It's for Oniisan._

Sasuke tried to knock Kiko unconscious to make his job easier but she was struggling too much. With his patience running thin, Sasuke roughly slammed her shoulders onto the table with one of his hands as he knelt over her legs to prevent them from kicking him. He then placed his other hand over her left eye.

Kiko screamed.

Suddenly, a kunai flew through the air, causing Sasuke to let go of her.

Sasuke turned to the source of intrusion – a chakra so deeply embedded in his heart and soul, it was impossible to not know who he was.

Uchiha Itachi, his one and only brother.

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* * *

.

Itachi briefly glanced at the radio and the accompanying note in his hands.

_Friday, 12pm._

Two more weeks and Sasuke would be free. Free to step in the light and roam the streets of Konoha, a place where his brother had always belonged.

Their home. More specifically, _Sasuke's _home - he wouldn't be here for long. Soon, he would be a burden.

Shoving the note into his pocket, Itachi picked up the basket of groceries Tsunade had left along with the radio. The supply was plentiful. It had a wide variety of foods, comprising of meat, vegetables and fruits.

The first time he stepped onto the very same streets that he slaughtered his clan felt bizarre, but the feeling had long since disappeared, arising only once in a while. In fact, it was eerily similar to the pre-massacre days where his senses would shut out the hustle and bustle of the streets because no one else mattered and that all he wanted was to rush home to his younger brother.

Just like before, the thought of Sasuke made his footsteps seemingly lighter and quicker.

As Itachi made his way back to the house, he felt two foreign chakras – one was strong while the other was faint and barely noticeable. A strong sense of dread writhed in his stomach, intensifying as he raced towards his home.

_It all depends on Sasuke's behaviour. _Tsunade's implicit warning to keep his brother in line crept into his mind and replayed like a broken record.

Itachi was not worried over Sasuke's safety as he knew his brother was strong enough to hold his own in battle. Furthermore, his training had intensified ever since they returned to Konoha. However, Tsunade has yet to announce or vouch for Sasuke's innocence. It would be a bad start and probably the end of his plans if Sasuke were to kill or even injure someone.

When Itachi reached the front door, a man with white hair was standing with his sword drawn out, taking a defensive stance. Out of the two chakras that he felt earlier, the stronger one had belonged to him.

It then occurred to Itachi that the man was guarding the front door, trying to prevent him from entering the house.

Suddenly, Sasuke's chakra surged, causing both of them to glance towards the house. Clashes and screams could be heard from within.

Wasting no time, Itachi made a series of hand seals to summon a clone. He then jumped over the walls, leaving his clone to deal with Suigetsu who was still staring at the house in confusion.

Itachi had anticipated a fight between Sasuke and another shinobi. Never would he have expected to see Sasuke strangling a _child _on their dining table when he stepped into the kitchen.

He immediately took out one of his kunai and flung it at Sasuke who released the girl to avoid the offensive object. The kunai flew through the air until it hit a wall.

Sasuke stared at him with bloodshot eyes, panting heavily as his body trembled. The girl rolled off the table and tried to stand on wobbly legs but ended up collapsing on the ground. As she lay limp on the floor, her eyes briefly shifted their focus to her rescuer before closing slowly, succumbing to unconsciousness.

Although the girl had only looked at him for a split second, Itachi managed to catch a glimpse of her red eyes. It only took a moment for Itachi to fully comprehend that he was staring at a pair of Sharingan eyes and subsequently, the identity of the girl. His stomach churned when he realised what Sasuke had intended to do.

"You need it," Sasuke stated in a low and cold voice as he stared at Itachi.

"I'm not blind, Sasuke." Itachi spoke calmly. Deep inside, he was shocked – both from seeing the girl and the fact that Sasuke tried to dig out her eyes.

"A spare pair would be good." It chilled Itachi how frighteningly hollowed Sasuke's eyes were.

"I do not need it, nor do I want it," Itachi asserted.

Sasuke's chakra flared. He grabbed a chair that was in his way and flung it roughly across the room. The chair smashed onto the wall and broke into pieces.

"What made you think that I want yours?"

Itachi didn't reply or rather, he couldn't provide an answer to his question, that he wanted Sasuke to be stronger than him? Yet, all he could see in Sasuke now was only an empty shell. The strength in believing in his friends and a better future had vanished.

A tense silence hung in the air, breaking only when Sasuke managed to regain his composure.

"I..I will clear these up." His voice was shaky and there was a tinge of regret in his eyes, so faint that it was barely noticeable, were it not for Itachi's Sharingan.

With that, Sasuke left the room, leaving Itachi, Kiko and Suigetsu who had finished his fight and was now standing at the doorway, observing the scene unfolding in front of him.

"Damn it." Suigetsu lamented. Displeasure was written all over his face as he frowned at the sight of the girl lying on the floor.

"It's always like this. He'll stop me from killing but he himself wants a piece of action."

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* * *

.

After the storm that occurred in the kitchen, an oppressive silence enveloped the entire household in a tight embrace. All three of them had gone their separate ways – Sasuke had wandered off to the garden to calm down and probably to collect some cleaning tools to clean up the mess in the kitchen. Suigetsu had initially followed Sasuke out of the room but stopped when he realised Sasuke's frenzied state of mind.

Itachi was left with the girl who was still lying on the floor. He noticed with a frown that there was a cut on her forehead. The wound was not deep but it was bleeding. Itachi sighed heavily as he picked her up. He could not just leave her lying helplessly on the floor- not after what Sasuke had done and he didn't trust Suigetsu either. There was a possibility of his brother doing the same thing again and Itachi was not willing to take any chances on his brother degenerating further.

As Itachi carried the girl to his room, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over him. He remembered how Sasuke would stay up secretly and wait for him to come home from his missions. More often than not, Sasuke fell asleep while waiting and he would have to carry his brother to his bedroom, similar to what he was doing now.

Just that it was not Sasuke but a total stranger.

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* * *

**Notes to this chapter:**

1. Oniisan means brother.

2. Sasuke's angst would tone down as the story progresses but as of this chapter, he still has a lot of anger within him which exacerbated when Itachi chose to return to Konoha and that he had no inkling of the agreement made between Tsunade and Itachi.

3. With all the accumulated anger, it had to be leashed out and Kiko was unfortunate to receive the blunt of it because in his distraught state, she represented Konoha in the essence of peace and purity.

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**Reviews are greatly appreciated :) :) :)**


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